A Vampire's Gentle Embrace
by coop500
Summary: (Fanfic of the game 'Vampyr') While making his rounds through the streets of London, Dr. Jonathan Reid happens across an injured orphan in an alleyway. He must earn her trust to be able to protect her from the dangers of London and bring her to safety.


(WARNING: While this story is generally a wholesome, fluffy tale, it does contain safe soft vore, in this context it means Jonathan does swallow someone whole and alive, but doesn't hurt them. They are released safely but you've been warned.)

The streets of London were wet and shiny from the previous rainstorm, the moonlight reflecting off it to give the clean and bright look to the city's cobblestone. It was deceptive though, for it was anything but clean, with the Spanish Flu ravaging the people, while monsters stalked the shadows and increased the body count even more. Oddly enough, at the pitch of night, a man in a long dark brown coat nosed around some trash bins for anything worth salvaging, finding a few household things he'd be able to make some medicine out of. The man was Jonathan Reid, a doctor back from the first world war and working at the nearby hospital to try and help the people be cured of what ails them.

Green eyes with a strange blue ring around the edge of the iris glanced to his right when he thought he heard a noise, waiting and listening for any other indication of something being there. A good few moments past though and it was just... silence. Just as the man was about to return to his search, an unexpected scent whiffed by his nose. He lifted his head a bit and sniffed at the air, noticing the scent of a human child's blood? He hadn't seen any children since his... accident and that was probably a good thing, given his current condition. But it was at night and the streets were filled with danger, his helpful doctor side couldn't help but be concerned for the tyke. Why would a child be out here alone anyway? Surely they had a home or even at least someone to stay with, right? And considering it was blood he smelled, then the little human was certainly injured.

Despite the feeling that he should probably stay away for the child's safety, Jonathan decided he was too curious and too concerned for the wee one's health to not investigate. So he put some of the trash back, took what he found useful and placed the lid back on the garbage can, not wanting to make the streets any more filthy than they already were. Once he was done, the vampire began to follow the scent trail of the child. He hoped the little one was maybe just lost and not injured too badly or homeless, no doubt a homeless child won't last long in these dark times, though he guessed maybe he could bring them to the hospital to stay as long as they were not sick. A few scrapes or a simple cut would be easy enough to clean and bandage up so he hoped that's all that was wrong.

Following the trail led him down a rather narrow and unsettling alleyway, cluttered with boxes and some trash. He weaved carefully around it and stayed alert, unsure if maybe this was a trap set by vampire hunters or something... He'd have to be careful and not just assume. He turned a corner to be met by an equally narrow alleyway but finally spotting his 'target'. From the distance, it was indeed a child, small and huddled against the wall. He couldn't quite tell if it was a boy or a girl, not that it mattered too much but maybe a girl would be more easily frightened of him. He was still wary of this being a trap but relaxed his body still to seem less tense and threatening as he began to approach the child.

"Hello there. " He spoke out before he got too close, not wanting to accidentally startle the young one by not making his presence known soon enough. His voice reached the child's ears and they looked up, a somewhat uneasy look on their face as they looked at the man speaking to them. "W-who are you? " They, no she? He was pretty sure it was a little girl, based on the pitch of the voice and her long hair. The clothes didn't tell him much, just tattered old rags stitched together almost, how long has the little one been on her own? "My name is Jonathan Reid. " He answered, keeping his hands visible so she could see he had no weapons in hand. Of course, a man of his nature did not even need a weapon to be dangerous, but that wasn't the point really.

She huddled against the wall further, seeming a bit untrusting still, scared even. "I'm S-Shannon... " She shyly answered him, shifting towards a cardboard box as if she considered hiding in it. Alas, cardboard was not a vampire stopper, so it wouldn't do her much good in the long run. He felt bad for scaring her though and didn't dare come closer. "It's alright Shannon, I'm not going to hurt you, okay? " Jonathan assured her, offering a gentle smile to try and show his friendliness, but made sure to keep his lips sealed, not wanting to give away his true nature and give her more of a reason to fear him. He watched the girl shift some, finally breaking eye contact to fiddle with something in her hands for a few moments. "T-there's... monsters and-and bad people everywhere... I think t-the monsters might be... vampires. " The child said, but the way she said it was hesitant, as if she was worried he wouldn't believe her.

Part of him was tempted to try and act like he didn't, a little girl shouldn't have to fear or think about vampires... But on the other hand, he didn't like the idea of lying to her like that and clearly, she already saw more than any little girl should. "You're right. " He stated simply, deciding now to take a few careful steps closer. "Vampires are out there... have you been bitten? " He questioned, unsure if Shannon would tell him anyway even if she was, but he felt it was worth asking. The girl gave him a concerned look, not seeming to notice he was closer, or maybe she didn't mind. Either way, she took a moment to check over herself briefly, mostly on her arms. "I don't think so. " She said, though while she checked herself, Jonathan saw scratch marks on her.

That explained why she was bleeding, he just hoped it wasn't too serious. "How bad is it? " he inquired, taking a risk and stepping a little closer yet again, now only a few feet away, with a look of concern in his green-blue eyes. It took a moment for the girl to catch on to what he meant, especially when seeming to be a bit intimidated by his size, but she then checked her arm again. "It h-hurts... but I think it's okay... " She said while crossing her arms and hiding the wound a bit. However the doctor couldn't find it in himself to leave well enough alone and while the scent of innocent child blood was making him a bit hungry, he was able to control his urges well enough to focus on helping her. "I am a doctor, Shannon, if you will let me, I can clean and dress the wound for you. " He offered, knowing he had some bandages and such in his coat, just for reasons like this.

The child looked unsure, still untrusting a little even, she eyed the pale doctor as if she might be suspecting he was a monster too. But Jonathan didn't look like the monsters she has seen... However, she couldn't shake that something was still off about the man. It was understandable for just a wee little human to be afraid of everything though, his height wasn't exactly helping in that regard either and probably seeming pretty scary to the little girl. But the pain of the wound was an incentive to trust the man and let him dress it, maybe it'd be worth taking the chance to get this fixed more or less, because if left unattended no doubt she'd get a pretty nasty infection in these dark and dirty alleyways. "O-okay... I'll t-trust you mister Jonathan. " Shannon said finally after a good few minutes of consideration.

The doctor was happy to hear that, walking all the way up to the girl and crouching down. Staying true to his word, for the time being, he opened his coat and pulled out a bottle of some kind of antibacterial substances and some clean bandages. Though he paused when he noticed the girl was still huddling in a ball, looking so small and pitiful. "Can you hold out your arm? " He asked nicely, not wanting to just grab her or anything rude like that. He watched the child hesitate, a faint whimper escaping her that he likely wouldn't be able to hear if not for his... enhanced senses. Eventually, she nodded though and slowly shifted to hold her arm out to him, the scratch marks upwards.

Jonathan focused on the scratches, looking to see how dirty they were and decided that yeah, he had some cleaning up to do. So he tucked the bandage back into his coat and pulled out some napkins instead, popping the rubber off the bottle with his teeth, doing his best not to flash his fangs too much. To his advantage, it was pretty dark and the child being human meant hopefully she couldn't see too much, especially something as small as his teeth shape. "This might hurt a little. " He warned her, mumbling a bit around the rubber stopper as he used the wet napkin to gently clean the wound while his free hand gently grasped under her arm to keep it steady, wiping from the edge of each scratch mark to point away and off her arm. There was some blood still and smelling it so close and so fresh did make him a little dizzy, teeth sinking into the rubber a bit more than he intended. It didn't help much beyond making an odd set of teeth marks in the stopper.

Shannon gasped and whimpered a little in pain, which he felt bad for but he had to get it clean, it could be very bad if he didn't. Still, for both of their sakes, he hurried the best he could. Once it was clean, he placed the used napkin on his knee before getting his bandage back out again, pouring a bit more of the fluid on there, before he began to wrap her arm up. The first layer had some blood soak into it, but as the bandage applied gentle pressure on the second and third wrap, the bleeding slowed down to almost an entire stop. Though the scent still lingered in the air and he was sort of amazed no vampire came to make a meal of her already. Not that he was complaining or disappointed, the last thing he wanted was the poor wee girl being harmed any more than she already was.

With it being cleaned and wrapped, Shannon noticed that it actually hurt less now. Jon let her go and she pulled her arm close to her again, not too quickly, but she was clearly still shy. "T-thank you... it feels b-better now... " She said, smiling a little worriedly still. Though she did feel a pang of nervousness when she saw him spit the stopper out and she... could have sworn she saw pretty deep teeth marks in it. But he was quick to put it back on the bottle and tuck it back into his coat before she got a good look. "You're welcome, girl. Where is your home? I could help you back there. " The vampire offered, mostly green eyes slightly hopeful that she'd say yes. He would feel much better to personally make sure the girl was safely back home and not wandering the streets alone, hopefully, the wee one had parents to watch after her once his job was done. The idea of her being an orphan didn't set all too well with him, as this wasn't exactly the best time and place for orphans.

Jon felt a sharp pang in his chest when he saw Shannon lower her head, looking down at her knees sadly. To him, there was only one reason for her to be sad about that... something happened, something bad. "I don't h-have a home anymore... The-the vampires... " She trailed off, sniffing and wiping her nose with her shirt sleeve. Jonathan didn't have to hear more, suspecting the vampires could have tricked her parents into letting them into their home? Or Skals just barged in... Either way, it was clear his worst fear came true, the child was an orphan. "Say no more, I understand. " He said, not wanting her to go further and stress herself more. He took a deep breath then, mulling over his options... He supposed he could take her to the hospital, but it wasn't exactly an orphanage for little girls to just hang out at. He didn't want her getting sick or anything either while she was there...

But in the end, what other choice did he have? It was the safest building around that she should be more or less safe, as long as they kept her away from any sick patients. "I stay at a hospital some ways from here, you can stay there until we find something better. " If that day ever comes, he hoped it did though... Problem was, they were pretty far away from it, he ventured a bit far out tonight, needing some more supplies for folks in need. He was glad he did though, otherwise, he may have never found this little orphan girl until it was far too late. He watched the girl perk up a bit at that, slight confusion on her face, possibly thinking that people didn't live in hospitals so that was kinda weird. "I won't be-be in the way? " Shannon asked worriedly, not wanting to trouble any of the hard-working doctors and nurses, Jonathan included.

Jonathan didn't think she would be any trouble though, the hospital was pretty big, as long as she didn't mess with any important equipment or move any of his supplies everything should be fine. "It will be fine, maybe with a few ground rules set but nothing harsh or overbearing. " He said truthfully, not wanting to make her think she'd have free reign over the hospital, but she won't be a prisoner or anything either. Shannon liked the idea though, it was kind of weird at first, staying at a hospital like an inn, but these were not normal times. "Okay then... if you'll have me, I'll stay. " She said a small and sweet smile on her face. Though she still stayed curled up against the wall, she visually relaxed, seeming to be less stressed and nervous about him.

But that reminded him of another issue, given how far they had to go, the scent of her wound would be ringing the dinner bell for any vampire in the area, himself included. He had decent self-control now though, better than when he was first turned. The thought made him sick again and he shook his head, trying not to dwell on the past right now, as he had a human child to take care of first. "Not entirely up to me, but he should be fine with letting you stay. " He clarified, after all, he wasn't the boss there, just one of the doctors. The child seemed fine with that but glanced around nervously. "W-what about the monsters? T-the... vampires? " She asked, obviously also understanding her wound made a slight issue with just sneaking by.

The doctor sighed, trying to mull over what options he had. He could attempt to just carry her out of here and to the hospital, using his enhanced vampire abilities to try and go unnoticed. But it was still a risk and if he was caught holding a child with wounds by any hunters, they would certainly assume he did it, and if he was caught by any skals or whatever, he'd have a harder time defending himself with both arms full. That's when an idea did come to mind, a rather odd one but... It would work and could hide her scent. Problem is, if he went through with said idea, Shannon would have to know he was a vampire too. How would she react to know her doctor was of the same species as the very beasts that attacked and killed her family? Possibly not the same subspecies but still vampires... Would the child understand he meant no harm to anyone? Or would she assume he was trying to trick her too?

"I have a plan, however... " He trailed off, trying to find the right words. Should he tell her? or should he just... do it and hope for the best? What if she ran away? Then he'd have to chase her just to make sure no other vampire got her. Such a thought made him a little sick already, he didn't want to chase a child around, he was not a monster... Then again the idea he had was also not setting all too well with him, but he did the studies, the tests... it should work, she would be safe and sound. He saw Shannon grow curious already, but also uncertain, wise kid. "W-what? What is it? " She asked, small arms curling around her legs tighter which only served to make the poor dear oddly more adorable and in need of his plan.

He let out a heavy sigh, again, deciding that he should tell her, it would be cruel not to and he couldn't bring himself to do it. "To swallow you, child, whole and alive. You'll be safe in my... second stomach though, don't worry. The other vampires won't smell your blood and I can still defend us both if we come across any trouble on the way back to the hospital. " Normally he wouldn't have let that 'other' slip by, but in this context, it was a subtle hint on how he was able to present such an idea in the first place. Obviously, no normal human could do such a thing and it wasn't exactly common knowledge from other vampires either, considering there wasn't much of a purpose to it. Most vampires rather just bite and drain their victim, not swallow them whole, so whatever the purpose was for a second stomach was not a clear one.

As expected, the child grew more frightened, eyes widening and muscles tensing once his words sunk in and she realized this meant he was a vampire. "N-no no n-no you can't be! Y-you helped me! You c-can't be a vampire! " She exclaimed, shuffling away from him by going deeper into the alleyway, trembling in fear. "Please don't be frightened Shannon, I'm not going to hurt you. I did help you and I just want to help you a bit more. " He assured, his voice almost holding a faint pleading tone that she didn't run. But the child was so terrified, vampires had killed her family and it was only understandable that she couldn't trust another not to kill her too. "I-I don't believe you... " She said, scrambling deeper into the alleyway a bit more before bumping into some trash. She glanced behind her and grabbed a spare trash can lid, round and made of tin. A good strike from his claws would make short work of it, but it would also make short work of any hope of him trying to calm her down.

He stood up then and took a few tentative steps towards her, hands in front of him and open in a gesture of not having a weapon or wanting to strike her, almost an 'I come in peace' gesture. "I'm sorry that you don't, but if I don't help you, the other vampires will come to the lure of your blood. I will fend them off the best I can but I am only one man. " He explained as nicely as he could, not wanting to just make her fear worse, but instead he wanted to redirect it to the real threat. Shannon looked at him with distrust and increased fear when he stood up, he was a lot taller than she originally thought and it proved to be a bit more terrifying for the wee girl. She struggled to speak over the trash can lid while her trembling caused the metal to make soft sounds against the cobblestone. "One monster you mean... you're jus-just one monster... " She managed to mutter, but he was able to hear it.

It was a pang to his heart, he tried his best not to be a monster. Ever since what happened to his dear sister... he never bit another innocent, yet to hear the word being directed to him still hurt. His eyes looked down briefly, a sad look in them. Seeing the vampire doctor actually affected by her words though, the child instantly felt bad, she didn't think vampires could get sad but... either he was just trying to trick her or that was not true, for he certainly looked hurt. There was a faint growl from him and he shook his head, trying to snap out of it as this was not a time to fall into an emotional pit of despair. "I-I'm sorry I-" She tried to apologize to him, but he cut her off and for a moment she was afraid that she angered him. "It's fine, it's not important. " He said sternly, almost forced, but sounding as if he was telling himself that as much as her.

Jonathan didn't seem angry, but she clearly hurt his feelings and that... humanized him a bit in her eyes. His plan to devour her whole was scary but... He never harmed her, if anything he bandaged and cleaned her wound which now that she thought about it, must have been hard for him. Perhaps what he said was true, that she would be safe and he just wanted to protect her. There were numerous swirling emotions in the little girl's head, not all of them she could deal with or even understand, but one thing she did understand was this trash can lid was not stopping him from making a meal of her if that's what he wanted. Eventually, she lowered it, before nudging it aside, looking down at the ground as she thought about what to say.

"Is there... really no other way to hide me f-from the other v-vampires? " The wee human asked, looking back up at Jonathan with still nervous but hopeful eyes. If she was not wounded, perhaps there would be ways, but as it stands her staying in his belly was the safest and most secure solution he had. "No, at least not any that would be guaranteed. " The doctor answered, voice holding an apologetic tone. He didn't WANT to eat and frighten the poor dear, he much rather just let her walk back normally. But he did not want to risk her being harmed any further, the scratch on her arm would heal but it was nothing compared to what they could do to her.

Shannon had expected that answer, but she couldn't help but hope anyway... The idea of being consumed was an unnerving one, to be trapped in his belly until he decided to let her out, assuming he was going to let her out at all... It did not sit well with her. But being torn to shreds by monsters was more unsettling and... at least it would be warm and soft inside of him. "Okay then... I trust you. " She said, gulping nervously to the prospect she agreed to. But it made Jonathan happy, well not... happy, but relieved that he wouldn't have to choose between devouring her without permission or risking her life. Granted he understood she was still nervous and unsure, but she did give him the go ahead. "Thank you, I promise your trust will not be misplaced. " He assured kindly, it sort of amazed her how he could be so thoughtful.

Though such thoughts vanished for a moment as she watched him approach, Shannon being too nervous still to stand up but now she wished she did, instead of having the tall vampire loom over her like he did. A small whimper escaped the girl before Jon bent down to gently pick her up, strong hands grasping her shoulders and lifting her up off the cold hard ground. Soon they were eye level and the girl got a decent look at those kind but not quite natural eyes of his, unnerving to look into at first but even she could see the tender kindness in them. "I will be gentle, don't worry. " He assured kindly, offering a soft smile. Just being eye level with him kept her so far up, her feet easily around three feet off the ground if not more. But Shannon couldn't deny his tender words and behavior, perhaps it wasn't such a stretch to consider Jonathan as the gentle vampire giant.

In response all she could bring herself to do was nod hastily, trusting him but still on edge. She was unsure exactly how he was going to go about it... Would he just... stuff her head in his mouth and then swallow her up? Or was he able to shrink people somehow? He was big, yes and she was pretty scrawny, but surely it's impossible for him to swallow her whole as is right? He'd choke for sure. What he ended up doing was neither, though not majorly different from the first thought. Jonathan lifted Shannon up above him, which was a feat in itself and she could swear she saw more of the surrounding city than she ever did before. But she didn't look long when she felt her feet become restrained, looking down she realized the vampire engulfed them into his mouth. She stiffened at first, seeing four sharp fangs around her ankles gave her a sense of fright, instinctively. But that same instinct made sure she stayed perfectly still because it was almost guaranteed that if she moved around too much one of those sharp canines would cut her and Shannon assumed that wouldn't end well at all... So she kept very still, controlling her breathing to deep, slow breaths, somewhat calming her nerves but not nearly as much as she'd like.

It was... strange for Jonathan, he never swallowed a whole person before but something in him told him he could do it, it was almost instinctual but not the usual instinctual thirst for blood and lifeforce. It was something more confusing, just as primal but not as ruthless or any kind of selfish drive. It was almost more of the urge a human may have to protect a lost kitten they find but more powerful. Before he fully realized what he was doing, though it wasn't exactly unexpected, he had the child's feet in his mouth, before he swallowed. His throat muscles lurched, not being quite used to having to consume such a large object before, but his unnatural strength and resilience overcame it and her feet easily vanished down his gullet. It was almost unnerving to him to realize how easy this felt, beyond the overwhelming sensations and confusing thoughts, physically it was quite easy.

His throat bulged a little, but oddly not as much as one may suspect it would have to. So far the child was still, so Jonathan was able to take his time, respecting his body's limits and her's, as no doubt if he was careless his powerful muscles could crush the poor dear. He kept his swallows gentle and soft to avoid such a result, like a warm slimy blanket slowly engulfing the wee one. In his spare time of trying to eat normal food, he discovered that his new vampire abilities seemed to include some sort of... second stomach, in which it didn't seem to digest anything. He didn't understand the original purpose to this but he felt this was a good one, whether intended by his vampiric side or not, he would be quite happy with finally making good out of this... curse.

Jonathan swallowed again and most of Shannon's legs were either in his throat or in his mouth, she looked nervous understandably but also in awe... no doubt also a bit overwhelmed by the possibility of this. The vampire also couldn't help but notice a tinge of a sweet aftertaste beyond the dirt and grime on the poor dear, but he tried to ignore it. He was swallowing her to protect her, not to taste her, as much as his more selfish and bloodthirsty side of him wanted to bite down. Despite these urges, his fangs remained harmlessly sliding by as he gulped again, her waist sliding into his mouth while her legs remained tightly snug in his throat or... her feet possibly entering his stomach as it oddly felt a bit more open suddenly.

Despite how scary it was, she couldn't deny that no harm had come to her yet, in fact, the process was all oddly gentle and comforting, it made a part of her grow curious beyond her fear, to consider what it was going to be like in Jonathan's belly. Of course, there was no reason to rush, she'd find out soon enough, especially since the good doctor was making quicker work of her than either of them imagined. It was a good thing too... because as she felt him swallow her again, her torso starting to ease into his jaws while her knees bent to the curve of his stomach, she heard a strange snarling sound in the distance. She was not the only one to have heard it either and Jonathan took this as a queue to hurry up.

His best guess was it was either a skal or a beast, could be something else too but not likely. The rest of the process suddenly went a lot quicker, as if it wasn't quick enough. Instead of his slower swallowing one at a time, he ended up swallowing numerous times in rapid succession, effectively engulfing the rest of her torso, shoulders, and head in just a few short moments. Her arms ended up above her head as she watched his fangs come closer and closer to her face, before she slipped deeper into his mouth, past his teeth and into the dark depths of his gullet. Her hands remained outside in the cool air of London, while the rest of her was easing down into the vampire's chest, then his warm belly.

It wasn't as warm as Shannon thought it would be, but then again he was a vampire so having a cooler body temperature may be expected. Still, it was warmer in here than in most places, it was also really soft and plush, the wee girl couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort in it, like being cuddled from all sides. The girl carefully curled up as Jon swallowed her hands down, now finally able to wrap her arms around her knees much like the way she was when the doctor first found her, but instead of being against a hard rock wall, she was nestled safely in his stomach. She thought it would be more terrifying and despite it being dark in here, it actually wasn't scary as long as she kept telling herself that she was safe, that he was just keeping her in here to protect her and not because he wanted to make a meal of her.

For Jonathan, he was glad the girl let him finish up quickly as he heard yet another growl. He also noticed an unexpected feeling inside of him... Instead of the usual satisfaction to his bloodlust when draining his enemies or a small pack of rats, he felt a more content, peaceful and warm feeling in his heart. It was not something he never felt before, as a doctor he often had this feeling after saving someone or otherwise making them feel better, but given the context of this, it was unexpected but certainly not unwelcome. For once he felt he directly did something good with his vampiric abilities, instead of just using them to claw and slash his way through his enemies to his goals. He was also glad he managed to successfully direct her into the correct stomach, though if he did it wrong he, of course, would let her out before any harm was done and try again.

The vampire tenderly rested a hand on his middle, which was bulged out and stressing the buttons of his coat, but not enough to actually damage the clothing. With a gentle hum, Jonathan gave his belly a few soft rubs, his hand moving in a slow circle as he felt just how relaxed his guest was, much to his surprise. He could certainly get used to this, not that he expected to find many more little orphans to nicely devour. He felt the child shift softly inside to get comfortable and... it almost seemed as if she was leaning against his rubs, which he wasn't sure what to think of at first. "Everything is okay in there with you, right? Your bandage is still on? " He asked, his doctoring instincts flaring up again as he hoped he didn't accidentally wreck the bandage to her arm.

As he awaited her answer, he kept on alert for whatever was making that noise, thankfully the directions it could attack from was limited to this narrow alleyway he was in and his free hand rested on the handle of his sword to prepare for such an attack. "Yeah, everything is o-okay mister Jonathan! Thank you... it's oddly more cozy in here than I thought. " The child sheepishly admitted, a shy muffled giggle following after. She couldn't hear the monster's snarls anymore unlike him, but she could hear his heartbeat, which both surprised and soothed her. For one she did not know that vampires had working hearts, but it seemed he did, it made the child wonder if all vampires did or just him? Nor did she expect such a simple and usually unnerving sound to be soothing in this context, which was also nice.

Jonathan felt his heart flutter a little, likely figuratively from her telling him it was cozy inside. The whole time he had been thinking about this plan of his and how it would likely end with a frightened, upset orphan who he'd have to struggle to convince he wasn't going to harm, while she thrashed around in his stomach and possibly leaving internal bruising… But instead he didn't have any of that, the child was oddly calm and he certainly welcomed it. "I'm glad, you only have to stay in there until I get to the hospital though, so don't worry. " He informed her, partly due to lack of anything else to say but also wanting to assure her that she was not a prisoner. "Now I'm going to start walking and there might be a fight... I apologize if the ride gets a bit rough. "The vampire added as he slowly drew his sword, just to be ready.

Shannon understood all that though, but she welcomed the reminders just to be sure. "No problem, I'll be good in the meantime, don't worry! " She cheered out, though her voice was pretty droned out by flesh, skin, and clothing. Jonathan didn't answer verbally, but he did give a gentle pat to his middle to acknowledge he heard her and approved. After that, the vampire turned around, blade in hand to start leaving this creepy alleyway. Maybe it would be a little less dangerous out on the more major streets, though the vampire hunters may also be out there. As he backtracked slowly but surely, stepping softly to limit sound, everything was oddly very quiet, no more snarls or growling anymore.

He didn't like it, not one bit, something was off... Frowning, he focused on his vampiric senses, slowly gazing around the area to try and detect any signs of life... or not so lively. He heard a few human hunters some ways off, not too dangerously close as long as he made sure to skirt by them, but then he heard it again... that snarling sound, but quieter than earlier. With more focus, he was now sure it was a small number of skals, maybe three or four, nothing he normally couldn't handle. But with his current cargo, the vampire had no idea what exactly would happen if he used certain abilities if it would harm Shannon at all or affect her in any way. It was something he never tested before and didn't really want to risk the child's life, so he'd have to be clever about this.

He made it back to the garbage can he was searching earlier, but this time it was tipped over, trash scattered everywhere. The vampire doctor knew he didn't do that, in fact, he made good sure to put the lid back on and not scatter trash everywhere. Obviously, something or someone was here after him and it hadn't even been that long. Sure enough, a skal popped out from behind the fallen bin, letting out a feral snarl at Jonathan. He took in a sharp breath, shifting to a more battle ready stance before stalking closer to the creature, readying his sword to strike, but his free hand was reaching into his coat for something else. As the beast lunged out, aiming to scratch the doctor, he pulled out the stake he was reaching for and struck the skal twice with it, effectively stunning it.

At this point, instinct was minorly taking over, though he did not forget about the child within his safe belly, his not so safe belly still needed to be filled, especially if he was going to use what he deemed to be safer to use abilities with his passenger, such as his deadly claws. So he tucked the stake back into his coat and sheathed his sword, before grabbing his prey's shoulders and baring his fangs. The creature started to come to but not before Jonathan sank his teeth into its neck, biting deeply and drinking the blood that came out of the inflicted wound. it tasted... awful, wrong, yet it still satisfied his need for blood. He drank as much as he could before the skal broke free, jumping back and letting out another snarl.

This time two other skals jumped beside the first from above. The first skal then lunged at Jonathan, scratching his arm a bit. "Gah!" he stumbled back, before drawing his sword and swiftly counter attacking with 2 sword swipes, then an uppercut of his vampiric claws. That killed the one skal, but he still had two others to contend with. The left one launched an attack, claws slashing at the doctor's leg, leaving him with one minor wound and a more severe one. He took a few shaky steps back from that, some red swirls surrounding him then as he used some of his blood supply to heal the minor wound and partly heal the more severe one, at least to stop the bleeding.

Shannon had covered her ears when she heard the beasts, but it did not stop her from still being able to hear the muffled pained sounds from the skal as Jonathan drank part of its blood. At first, she was frightened that she'd end up in a pool of the red substance, but while she heard him gulp the fluid down repeatedly, it did not enter her safe, fleshy little chamber. Did the vampire have... two stomachs? Now that she thought back to when he first presented the idea to her, she realized he did actually say his second stomach... So it made sense now. It was a little unnerving to know that... somewhere around her was a not so soft and cozy stomach filled with blood, but she shook her head and tried not to think too hard on it.

Instead, she focused on the jarring movements she felt as Jonathan fought the feral vampiric monsters, thankfully his gentle but supernatural muscles provided some cushion for her. The movements didn't hurt her in that case, it was just scary at first and hearing his pained sounds made her worry for him. Yes, she was afraid of him a little still, but it didn't mean she wanted him hurt. She felt a little helpless in her current situation, tucked in his tummy safely but unable to do anything for him, though she had no clue what she could do... He was a doctor so even that he had covered. Truth be told she was likely helping more by being in here than out there, in the way and adding to his worries about making sure she wasn't harmed. At least in his belly, all he had to do was focus on protecting himself and he would, in turn, protect her. Shannon guessed that it made his plan all the better and likely why he decided on it in the first place.

The kind-hearted child still couldn't help but feel a little bad, thinking back now when she called him a monster and seeing the injured look on his face. He claimed it didn't matter, that it wasn't important, but being curled up in a soft, warm cozy place because of him while he fought the horrors of the London streets outside, it left her alone with her thoughts and she felt that it was probably a white lie. Her young mind couldn't fully comprehend what Jonathan was going through day to day, night to night, but she could still figure his life was not an easy one, with being a doctor sworn to help people while also being called a monster if anyone found out what he truly was. After thinking about this for a few moments to try and distract herself from the fighting, she decided that she would try to talk to him later about it because as it stands she was wrong, he was not a monster.

Meanwhile, Jonathan was unaware of any of this, too busy trying to survive this encounter. it was not to say her earlier words did not still linger within his thoughts, he just had more pressing issues at the moment, especially when the third skal jumped on him and attempted to bite his neck. He felt sharp teeth scrape against his skin, making a tiny shallow cut before he managed to push the beast off of him, then quickly striking it with his sword. On the third hit, the monster was too damaged and weakened to attack more and Jonathan quickly finished it off with a forth swipe of his weapon. That left him with only one left to deal with, but it was a little wary of the ekon who just killed two of its allies.

Unfortunately for the remaining skal, Jonathan was not in a merciful mood nor willing to take risks with his current company and charge. So he focused what remaining blood he had that he could use, before shooting his free hand out, strips of crimson colored shadows shooting out to form a spear from his arm, jabbing into the creature ruthlessly and effectively killing it. With a final pained snarl, all three were dead, though the doctor glanced at his leg, grimacing in pain but not having any blood left to heal it, at least not in the vampire way. He could tend and treat it like any other normal wound and it would likely heal eventually, but until then it was hard not to walk without a slight limp in his stride.

As he put his sword away and quickly checked the bodies for anything useful, he carried on, doing his best not to let his wound show and tempt anything or anyone else to take advantage. It stopped bleeding and to most, ekon blood wasn't so desired... Nowhere near as desired as fresh, innocent child blood no doubt. "A-are you okay mister Jonathan? " The little human asked after a moment, perhaps it was possible she noticed he was limping based on the movements he made around her? Or she heard his pained sounds from earlier, either way again he found himself not wanting to lie to the little sweetie, especially since she was so kind to worry about him. "It's just a scratch, it will heal in time, don't worry little one. " He assured, finding himself giving his belly a kind, tender rub before he could think about it. He couldn't deny the content, warm feeling he had whenever he thought about Shannon safely curled up in there.

It was appealing to his kind, protective and helpful nature while oddly still sort of satisfying the vampiric side of him, at least enough to placate it during normal times and not like... fighting. It gave him a sense of peace he hadn't felt since becoming a vampire, as it had always been some conflict or another stressing him out. Granted his kind-hearted nature had won out most of the time, but the nagging darker side was sometimes frustrating and something rats often had to pay the price. He felt the child shift lightly inside of him, almost worriedly but he couldn't tell if it was for herself or... for him. "If you're sure... I'm sorry if I got you hurt. " She said apologetically, the small one snuggling against his innards a little that he could feel.

The little orphan touched the vampire with her kind words and worries, so much innocence and pureness bundled up in a little package that was very tempting to just keep safe and warm day and night. At the mere thought, his belly did rumble happily, seeming as if it was trying to encourage Jonathan to keep the little human nestled within. But he figured Shannon didn't really want to become a long term resident in the ekon's stomach, regardless of how safe and cozy it was. Plus he was a firm believer that a child needed both a mother and a father figure and alas, he was not married so he wasn't really confident in his abilities to properly raise her, thus he kept his protective thoughts to himself. "It's not your fault sweet child, fear not. " He kindly told her, not wanting her to blame herself for this minor setback.

Though he did get distracted and almost found himself straying too close to the vampire hunters. With a wince he sidestepped into another dark alleyway to avoid them, knowing they would have zero qualms attacking a kind and injured vampire. On one hand, he couldn't blame them too much, they had no real way of knowing he didn't hurt innocent folk, but on the other, they were very very far from being innocent themselves and was quite sure they were, in a way, as bloodthirsty as the fiends they hunt. Once he got around the main group, he started to cross a bridge, seeking the top of the hospital in the distance though they still had a little ways to go before it was safe.

Despite Shannon's worries for the vampire she resided in, she also felt drowsy a bit... It was something she was trying to fight against and stay awake for him, but she was just a young human and young ones needed to sleep. The soft warmth of his belly didn't help, the gentle kneading and rippling his innards did was almost trying to lure her asleep, alongside the steady and surprisingly alive heart beating above her. The child didn't deem it dangerous to sleep, she felt so safe and snug inside after all that any fears of Jonathan before have now faded to minor, harmless thoughts. After all he never really did anything to harm her, the whole time he had done nothing but help her and keep her safe so it was hard to stay afraid and untrusting for long, especially for a lonely little girl desperate for someone to cling to.

Meanwhile, as Jonathan kept walking, he couldn't help but start to second guess his choice of bringing her to the hospital... She'd have many nurses and some doctors to keep an eye on her when they could, so while physically she'd be safe and sound there. However, another just as important aspect that he had to consider was how healthy she would be there, which a hospital could be very emotionally depressing, with everyone being sick or dying, then when people do die... The poor dear had been dealing with enough death as it is with her family, was it a good idea to put her in a place surrounded by more death? He paused his walking then, looking down at his feet in thought as he attempted to think of where else he could bring her that was perhaps less depressing and drab.

The vampire ended up thinking about Whitechapel, sure that one guy was a bit... unstable, but Joseph Larrabee wasn't a bad guy. Jon was a man of science and didn't believe in religious faith, but he could respect it well enough since it often provided comfort to others. Perhaps such a thing would comfort the girl too and help her with her loss, even if he personally was disallowed in the church due to his undeath nature, at least that meant other vampires couldn't enter too right? He was a newborn still and had so much to learn, almost a child among vampires, but he knew one thing for sure and that was, he couldn't go into the church. With all that in mind, he decided to change course, turning away from the hospital and heading towards the district of Whitechapel.

"Change of plans Shannon, I decided the hospital wouldn't be the best place for you after all. " He explained, not wanting to just take her somewhere else without at least informing her. The girl perked up at this, wondering why the change of heart and more importantly, if not the hospital then where was he taking her? She couldn't help the slight pang of nervousness from the sudden change, that lingering doubt creeping its way back to the surface... But she tried to suppress it, firmly reminding herself that it didn't have to be of malicious intent and maybe he had a perfectly valid reason. "What was wrong with the hospital? " She questioned, doing her best to keep her voice free of any worry or paranoia.

Jonathan hummed briefly, trying to think of the best way to explain to her. "Nothing, well nothing new... You would be physically safe there, but I fear for your physiological state if you stayed there. It... shows the worst the streets have to offer, the sickness, the injuries inflicted by both vampire and human alike, not everyone survives. " He explained as gently as he could, while still keeping it pretty obvious. "I worry that you being around all that death will harm your heart. " He voiced his concern to her, hoping the wee human won't get mad at him for this. Shannon was confused at first, she could handle it she thought! But then she stopped to consider the vampire's words and realized that he was probably right... The memory of her parents' death was still so fresh in her mind that she wasn't sure if she could handle seeing another death.

With a sigh, the girl decided to accept the vampire's reasoning. "Okay... w-will I see you again at the chapel? " She asked, not wanting to be alone and truth be told, she liked the ekon and wouldn't mind seeing him on a regular basis. She heard Jonathan sigh though which was not overly encouraging. "Vampires can't enter chapels and churches since it's holy ground. But I can knock and if you're around, you should be able to come out. " He reasoned, surely the preacher and other holy folks wouldn't prevent the child from saying hello to a friend. She liked that though, as long as he came, perhaps during his nightly rounds of checking up on everyone's health. She didn't expect to get sick or anything and as long as these scratch marks heal properly then they should be fine. "Okay... that would be okay then. Will you visit? " She wanted confirmation, as minorly selfish as it may have been of her.

Jonathan wouldn't mind dropping by and checking on her though, to make sure she was fairing well and the chapel was treating her okay. "Yes young one, I will visit. " He assured, just as he got to a gate and pushed it open, thankfully it was not locked alright. Before he could go much further, there were some men up ahead, probably Priwen men no doubt. "Please back away sir, this is no place for a gentleman. " One of them warned, obviously hiding something and too focused on keeping that hidden to notice Jonathan's true nature. Normally he would ignore their warnings and a fight will no doubt break out, but not this time, instead he decided to obey the warning. He held up his hands and backed away slowly, before walking down a nearby alleyway to go around. They seemed satisfied with that and left the doctor alone, allowing him to weave around them and get to the Whitechapel district. He was greeted by a few of the people, them all seemingly healthy and alright. He kindly greeted them back with a closed-lip smile, something he was used to doing these days.

After making his way past the friendly and not so friendly familiar faces, he spotted the chapel itself and thankfully, it looked like everything was in order. But he did pause partway, thinking about his next step in this plan to give the child to the chapel. Considering he couldn't release her from his stomach in front of the chapel, he needed a private moment to do so that wouldn't be dangerous to the child and wouldn't make them have to walk too far to get to the chapel itself. With that in mind, Jonathan went back to walking casually to try and keep attention off of him, he didn't want anyone noticing his slightly fuller than usual belly. He supposed he could go behind the chapel and hope no one heard him... Deciding that should be fine he walked around the front of the large building and headed to the back of it, carefully listening and smelling the air to make sure no one was around. Once he was satisfied that the coast seemed clear, he looked down at his middle with a hand resting over the bulge. "I will now release you, Shannon, we're here at Whitechapel. " He whispered to the girl, his voice still kind but hushed.

Shannon was surprised they got there so fast, but she forgot exactly where Whitechapel was so it was good he remembered. "T-thank you, not that... that it was so bad in here, it's actually quite soft and-and snuggly. " She shyly admitted, knowing deep down she'll likely miss this safe, enclosed space as it made her feel protected and away from the dangers of the streets. But she couldn't stay here forever, of course, the doctor had many people to worry about and not just her, it would be selfish and rude to expect him to dedicate all of his time to her. But she would still welcome visits and maybe... maybe he'd swallow her again if she asked? She wasn't sure if she had the bravery to request such a thing but it was hard not to be at ease in here and she knew she'd miss it.

Jonathan also had his own sense of content and warmth from holding the child safely within, it was like a small moment of pureness in such a dark and brutal time, with death and illness around every corner. He gave himself a moment to marvel in the fact he was able to safely carry the orphan inside of him, something that normally wouldn't be possible if he was human. It was a nice feeling to know his vampiric powers didn't always have to be about hurting someone. With a warm smile on his lips and a soft rub to his middle to match, he began to tighten his stomach muscles to squeeze the young girl up and out.

It started with the floor, while the organ did gurgle slightly in discomfort, the muscles pushed from the lower sides and below to move Shannon back upwards. The ring of muscle previously sealing off the entrance relaxed and allowed the child to pass through into his esophagus head first. It was all a bit restricting, powerful muscles squeezing tighter than when she went down, but she knew if they were not tight she'd probably slide right back down into his belly. The little girl likely wouldn't complain about it, but it was more effort for Jonathan to try again. Soon she felt her feet start to leave his stomach while her head and shoulders started to follow the bend of his throat and ease into his mouth.

Everything was going pretty smoothly thus far, but he did have to pause for a bit, perhaps to get his bearings as this next part may be a little tricky. Oddly enough he... tipped his head back, so his throat and mouth was straighter and she didn't have to bend. On one hand, it gave less resistance in coming out, but on the other hand, gravity was now wanting to pull her back down. As expected, she slid back down a bit, her feet and part of her lower legs slipping into the vampire's safe stomach again as it took a few moments for the muscles to grip her correctly. Everything being wet and slimy also wasn't helping anything, but soon the process of rippling muscle kneading her upwards resumed, even with a slightly awkward grumble from the ekon.

Shannon wished she could help, if nothing else so he didn't have to do it all on his own, but she figured if she moved or wiggled that would make her slip on the slimy walls and slide down deeper again. Eventually her head started to ease into his mouth, followed with his jaws opening up to reveal the outside world. It was still quite dark outside, though brighter than it was inside of Jonathan, the air was also a little cold, making her hope the chapel was warmer. Her shoulders soon followed and after a few more untrained kneads from the muscles below, he was able to firmly grab her shoulders, pulling her straight up above him and out of his throat. He went slow, to not damage his innards, though they were obviously tougher than a normal human now, he didn't want to risk damage if he didn't have to. Once out of him, he gently placed her on the ground, on her own two feet.

The poor girl was covered in stomach slime and saliva, almost looking rather pitiful that way. The doctor felt a little guilty about that and not having anything to dry her off with, but it was dark and was just raining a little before he found her so hopefully, the chapel won't question it too much. Besides the bandaged arm and a few other minor wounds from the skal that killed her family, she was otherwise unharmed and certainly not harmed at all by him. Though his stomach did give a faint, sad sounding grumble and Jonathan himself couldn't help but feel this faint disappointment in not protecting the sweet one within him anymore. But at least now he knew he was very much able to do it if he had to in the future.

Shannon flicked her hand a little to get some of the slime off, but it was more or less hopeless as she'd be much better off just taking a proper bath to get it off. Just like Jonathan though she felt almost sad to leave the warmth and comfort of his stomach, as she assumed she would. But it wasn't unbearable and with the knowledge that he'd be back someday meant it didn't have to be goodbye forever. "Thank you, mister Jonathan. " She said politely, turning around to look up at the kind vampire. He looked almost... adorable, in a still terrifying sense, he looked as if he was somewhat expecting her to be unhappy or something, but for what she had no clue. He had been very kind to her and put up with her fright and rudeness from the start... which reminded her of something she wanted to do.

Jonathan was surprised by the kind words from the child, but before he could react, the little human attached herself to him in a hug, mostly latching onto his legs since he was so tall. "You're not a monster, I'm so sorry I called you one, I was wrong. You're a gentle and kind man, please don't be sad or think you're a monster. " She told him in a rushed manner, some of her words running together a little but the ekon still understood the young human. He was touched, more so than before, by the child's kind words and reassurance against her previous statement against him. He admitted to himself that her accusation of him being a monster did hurt and had him thinking about it more than he should have. But with this reassurance, then hopefully he can try and forget about it. "Thank you Shannon. " He answered before he scooped the girl up in his arms for a more proper hug to his chest.

His clothes got a little slimy since she was slimy, but he didn't mind... his clothes have been through worse and the feeling of holding such an innocent and pure being in his arms brought him enough joy that it was more than worth it. The child seemed to have felt the same, well... he was not innocent nor pure, but she seemed to enjoy his hug regardless and returned it by wrapping her arms around his neck loosely and leaning her head against his shoulder with a happy giggle. She was so frail and light, it was effortless to pick her up, almost to a terrifying degree that part of him was afraid of breaking her. But Jonathan kept his hold firm, though not restraining, allowing Shannon to be at ease.

Jonathan couldn't find it in himself to put the girl back down and he didn't really have far to go... Surely it wouldn't be any trouble for him to carry her to the front of the chapel right? The child was peaceful and relaxed in his hold and with careful adjustments, he could have one hand free to knock. So without another word, the vampire doctor started to walk back around the chapel, hoping no one will find it strange he was carrying a little girl around suddenly when he came here empty-handed. One woman did give him a rather adoring look as if she found the sight endearing, likely because she knew how kind of a man Jonathan was and thus, didn't have to worry about the child's wellbeing in his company.

He returned her look with a friendly smile, before focusing back on where he was walking, avoiding a few of the less unsavory people hanging out not far from the chapel. Being able to keep his steps nearly silent without much effort helped quite a bit from drawing attention to himself. Once to the chapel front door, he adjusted his hold to have her somewhat sitting on his arm while relying on her hold around his neck and leaning against him to keep her upright, while he made a fist with his free hand and knocked on the wooden double doors. It was three simple knocks, before using the free arm to hold her more securely again as he waited for someone to answer.

Of course, Jonathan did not expect an answer right away, the building was big and maybe his knock wasn't even heard. But he was in no big hurry and waited patiently, glancing around him to make sure no one was coming up to him without warning. It actually didn't take too long before he heard footsteps, then one of the doors creaked open to reveal a new face, a man he hadn't met yet but dressed much like the other priests. "Hello... ? Oh, who's this? " The shorter man asked, obviously noticing the wee girl in the vampire's arms. "She's an orphan and needs a safe place to stay. " Jonathan answered, just as Shannon turned her neck to look at the priest. "H-hi... " She shyly greeted, looking the older man up and down to try and judge if he was safe and trustworthy.

"Ahhh, yes she can stay here at Whitechapel, in God's holy house we will be delighted to take in the homeless and in need. " The man said kindly, but Jon wanted to ask a few questions just to make sure all was well. "Can she leave if she wanted to? " He asked, not wanting to be basically putting her in a prison. The priest nodded of course without hesitation. "Of course! Though we would advise she doesn't go out alone, especially at night, she can still come and go as she wishes. " The priest explained, seeming sincere and not trying to lie. "Good and you have the supplies needed to care for her wellbeing? " Came the next question from him, not sounding accusatory but more so just wanting to be sure the chapel had the means to take care of Shannon.

The priest smiled, not seeming offended and if anything, he was glad that Jonathan clearly cared about the girl and wanted to make sure she'd be well taken care of here and not just dumping her off and moving on. "Yes, we have a spare room, a proper bed, blankets, food and I'm sure we can find some toys she can have. " He listed off the main needed resources with confidence, encouraging Jon that this was a much wiser choice than the hospital. They had beds and food sure, but toys were severely lacking and no doubt she would probably get bored. Right after that though, Shannon herself decided to speak up about the main thing she wanted to know. "Is it okay if Jonathan comes to visit me if he wants to? " She asked with a tinge of worry, the vampire able to feel her little frail arms tightening around his neck a bit more as if she was unwilling to let go until she was assured.

The priest looked surprised but quickly snapped out of it to answer. "Of course! Doctor Reid is welcome to come by anytime he wants. He has helped a good number of our people with his remedies and advice. " He said with a light level of glee. Shannon still took a few moments before she loosened her hold enough so Jonathan could put her down. He was still mildly protective of her but it was mild enough to ignore and instead bend down to place her feet on the ground again. The priest then kindly held out his hand to the child with a welcoming smile. "Come on child, we can set up your room and perhaps give you a bath... And a new change of clothes. " He added once he got a good look at her attire.

She paused, glancing back at Jonathan, to see him give her a warm smile, but this one showing his teeth a bit, his vampiric fangs flashing for a moment, then nodding once slowly. She nodded back hesitantly before taking the priest's hand. Once he had her hand, the holy man turned his focus back to Jonathan. "Thank you so much for bringing her to us doctor, I assure you she is in good hands. " The vampire was satisfied with that and quickly closed his lips to not scare him. "I am pleased to hear it, goodbye Shannon, I will come back during my next round. " He said, seeing the child look back after he spoke. "Thank you and goodbye, be careful and good luck. " She said in a sweet, happy tone, before the vampire walked away, leaving the priest and child be.

He continued his rounds after that, making sure everyone was as healthy as he could make them. Afterward he returned to the hospital to rest as the sun was just starting to rise. As promised the vampire doctor went back the next night to visit the child, and he kept doing this as often as he was comfortably able. There was the occasional stretch of nights that he was too distracted or busy with personal goals and issues, but he tried his best regardless and he got to see that Shannon was actually fairing very well. It made him glad he found her and helped her to Whitechapel, it was a memory he won't soon forget.


End file.
